Update PMDG aircraft and Operations Center safely, with the correct method for direct purchases, Marketplace installs and failed updates.
To update PMDG aircraft, close the simulator, open PMDG Operations Center, allow Operations Center to update itself, then select the correct simulator and install each available product update. Aircraft bought through the Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace must instead be updated through the simulator’s content library. AIRAC navigation data is updated separately.
Which updater should I use for PMDG aircraft?
The correct updater depends on where the aircraft came from and which simulator it supports. This distinction matters across Microsoft Flight Simulator, Prepar3D and older PMDG products.
| PMDG installation | Use this updater | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Direct-purchase MSFS aircraft | PMDG Operations Center | Update Operations Center first, followed by the aircraft package. |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace aircraft | The simulator’s content library or Marketplace library | Operations Center does not replace the Marketplace updater for the core aircraft. |
| Prepar3D product listed in Operations Center | PMDG Operations Center | Select the exact Prepar3D generation in which the aircraft is installed. |
| Legacy FSX or older Prepar3D product | The matching product installer or published hotfix | Older packages may not be supported by the newer Operations Center. |
How to update PMDG Operations Center and the aircraft
- Close the simulator and related tools. Exit Microsoft Flight Simulator or Prepar3D before changing PMDG packages. This prevents locked files and incomplete installations.
- Back up manual modifications. Save any personally edited configuration files, cockpit textures or custom liveries kept inside the PMDG package. An updater may replace altered files.
- Open PMDG Operations Center. If it offers an update for itself, install that first and restart the application when requested. Do not continue updating aircraft through an obsolete client.
- Select the correct simulator. Confirm that Operations Center is looking at MSFS, the appropriate Prepar3D version or the required installation channel. Exact labels differ between Operations Center releases.
- Install the available product update. Find the aircraft in the product area and use the displayed update control. Allow the installation to finish before opening the simulator.
- Update Marketplace purchases inside MSFS. Open the simulator’s library or content-management area, locate the PMDG package and install its offered update. The wording differs between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024.
- Test a default aircraft configuration. Load the aircraft with a supplied PMDG livery before restoring modifications. Operations Center’s displayed version or product status should show that no further update is pending.
For more detail on simulator selection, package locations and repair controls, use our Operations Center package and repair walkthrough. The 737 has a few purchase-channel considerations covered in our PMDG 737 update procedure for MSFS.
Should I update Operations Center before the aircraft?
Yes, install an offered Operations Center update before applying aircraft updates. A newer client may contain revised package paths, version checks or installation logic required by the aircraft release.
If the Operations Center self-update repeatedly fails, close every instance, restart Windows and launch it again. Should that fail, run the latest Operations Center installer supplied with the product and choose its repair or reinstall option where available; removing every PMDG aircraft is not normally the first step.
Why does PMDG Operations Center show no aircraft update?
No update usually means the wrong simulator is selected, the aircraft came from the Marketplace, or Operations Center cannot find the installed package.
- Wrong simulator selection: Check the simulator and version shown in Operations Center. An aircraft installed for one Prepar3D generation will not appear under another.
- Marketplace installation: Look for the update in the simulator’s own content library. Marketplace delivery can trail the direct-purchase release because it follows a separate publication process.
- Moved package location: If the Community or packages location was moved, use Operations Center’s rescan, path or repair function where provided.
- Stale shortcut: A major Operations Center reinstall can leave an older shortcut behind. Verify that the shortcut opens the installed replacement rather than an obsolete copy.
- Permissions or security blocking files: Check for an access-denied message, quarantined installer component or unwritable package folder. Avoid mixing an elevated installer with applications running under a different Windows account.
- Modified package files: Use the repair function or reinstall the affected aircraft package. Do not copy old programme or configuration files back until the clean aircraft has loaded successfully.
Does a PMDG aircraft update also update AIRAC data?
No. Aircraft software, liveries and AIRAC navigation data are separate components. Installing a PMDG product update does not guarantee that the FMC navigation database has changed; follow the separate PMDG AIRAC update steps when the cockpit cycle is out of date.
What if the PMDG aircraft stops working after an update?
Start by testing the supplied livery with unrelated add-ons temporarily removed, then run the product repair function. Old custom liveries, manually edited files and incompatible utilities are common causes when the core aircraft itself has updated correctly.
Also confirm that the simulator has completed its own mandatory updates and that the PMDG build supports that simulator version. If the aircraft disappears, crashes or has dead systems after an MSFS update, work through our post-update add-on aircraft checks before deleting and downloading the entire package again.